Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Chiang Mai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Chiang Mai or Sihanoukville?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Chiang Mai and Sihanoukville. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Chiang Mai or Sihanoukville?
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is both the cultural center of northern Thailand and a launching point for trips into the rural areas, small towns, and lush jungles of the country's northern regions. Known for great food, historic temples, arts and crafts, and a lively night market, Chiang Mai is a very popular destination for travelers. In some areas, tourists and ex-pats dominate, but it's quite easy to get away from the tourist scene and into the real culture of Thailand, as Chiang Mai (and the surrounding countryside) is quite large.
Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville, also known by locals as Kompong Som, was named after King Sihanouk. Also Cambodia's youngest city, construction started in 1955 to build Cambodia's first and only deep water port so that ships would no longer have to go through the Mekong Delta in order to trade with Cambodia. Today, many visit Sihanoukville as a hub to visit Cambodia's islands.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Chiang Mai Prices
Thailand PricesSihanoukville Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChiang Mai $58Sihanoukville $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Chiang Mai is $58, while the average daily cost in Sihanoukville is $65. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Chiang Mai and Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChiang Mai $29Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChiang Mai $58Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Chiang Mai and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Chiang Mai or Sihanoukville? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Chiang Mai Hotel Prices and Sihanoukville Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chiang Mai $4.00Sihanoukville $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Chiang Mai
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Chiang Mai are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$1.20
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Moped Rental$5.41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chiang Mai
Also for Chiang Mai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall & Dantewada Cafe with Hotel Transfer: $20
- Chiang Mai Airport CNX to Chiang Dao Private Arrival Transfer: $70
- Chiang Mai Airport CNX to Chiang Dao Round Trip Private Transfer: $140
- Chiang Mai Airport CNX to Pai Thermal Resorts Arrival Transfer: $187
- Chiang Mai Airport Private Transfer – Arrival or Departure: $24
- Chiang Mai Airport Private Van Transfer – Arrival or Departure: $38
- Chiang Mai Airport To / From Hotel with Private Transfer: $23
- Chiang Mai Airport Transfer by Private Van – Arrival or Departure: $52
- Chiang Mai Chiang Rai Temples Tour with Premium Transfer: $240
- Chiang Mai Highlights: Top 2 Tours & Airport Transfers Included: $274
- Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Private Transfer: $8.00
- Chiang Mai International Airport Arrival Shared Transfer: $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
- Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by VIP Alphard: $180
- Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private Transfer : Phnom Penh ↔ Sihanouk Ville: $105
- Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $70
- Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
- Kampot Kep To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini Van Car: $49
- Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
- Convenient Taxi Transfers from Sihanoukville to Kampot: $36
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
- Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Chiang Mai or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Chiang Mai change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayChiang Mai $20Sihanoukville $32
Typical Food Prices in Chiang Mai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Chiang Mai:
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Sit Down Dinner (for One)$5.86
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Roti Snack (Bread)$0.72
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Casual Breakfast$1.20
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.01
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Mangoes$0.90
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Coffee$1.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chiang Mai
For Chiang Mai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Evening Class Chiang Mai Visit Organic Garden and Market: $12
- Cooking Morning Class Chiang Mai Visit Organic Garden and Market: $12
- The Rice Barn Thai Cooking Farm Chiangmai: $27
- Half-Day Cooking Class: $27
- Half-Day Thai Cooking Class at Organic Farm in Chiang Mai: $27
- Khantoke Dinner at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center: $29
- Half Day Evening Cooking Class with Market Tour in Chiang Mai: $29
- Half Day Morning Cooking Class with Market Tour in Chiang Mai: $29
- Baan Farm Thai Cooking School Chiangmai: $29
- Home Cooking Class in Chiang Mai at Tomyumthai Cooking School: $29
- Khantoke Dinner and Cultural Show at Chiang Mai Admission Ticket: $29
- Half-Day Thai Cuisine Cooking Experience in Chiang Mai: $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sihanoukville
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sihanoukville.
- Cooking class in Kampot: $20
- Kampot Cooking Class by Eco Lotus Kampot: $33
- Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chiang Mai $14Sihanoukville $5.37
Typical Entertainment Prices in Chiang Mai
For Chiang Mai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Thai Cooking Class$39
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Doi Suthep Entrance Ticket$1.80
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Kratong Lessons$3.00
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Pedicure$4.51
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Chiang Mai Museum (for Two)$5.41
Tours and Activities in Chiang Mai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chiang Mai.
- Chiang Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.51
- Chiang Mai Eco Tourism Elephant Poop Paper Creative Experience: $6.11
- Tube Trek Water Park Tickets in San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai: $8.79
- Doi Suthep Temple Tour by Local Red Car 3 Hour Adventure: $12
- Skip the Line: Chiang Mai Art in Paradise Admission Ticket: $16
- Chiang Mai Old City & Temples Guided Walking Tour - 3 Hrs: $16
- FAM Fahlanna Art Museum Admission Ticket, Chiang Mai: $17
- Chiang Mai Mae Ping River Cruise and Thai Farmer House Visit: $18
- Chiang Mai Bar Hopping Night Tour: $19
- Doi Suthep Temple, Wat Pha Lat, Hmong Village Tour (Comfort Van): $20
- Authentic Muay Thai Experience with Hotel Pickup: $21
- Chiang Mai Old City Temples and Heritage Walking Tour: $21
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Best Sihanoukville Day Tours from Cruise Port: $79
- Best of Kep, Kampot from Sihanoukville Cruise Port: $259
- Best of Sihanoukville City Tour from Cruise Port: $75
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Day Trip from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh for Cruise Passengers: $189
- Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
- Exploring Bokor National Park Full-Day Tour from Sihanoukville: $99
- Exploring Kampot: A Memorable Tour from Sihanoukville: $63
- Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $59
- Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
- From Phnom Penh Day Trip for Cruise Ship Guests: $189
- Full Day Bokor National Park Tour with Lunch & Water Included: $43
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChiang Mai $7.44Sihanoukville $4.42
Typical Alcohol Prices in Chiang Mai
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Chiang Mai are as follows:
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Wine$3.00
Sample the Local Flavors in Chiang Mai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Chiang Mai:
- Chiang Mai Pub Crawl: 4 Venues, Beer Buffet & VIP Entry: $21
When comparing the travel costs between Chiang Mai and Sihanoukville, we can see that Sihanoukville is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chiang Mai Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chiang Mai or Sihanoukville?
Chiang Mai has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Chiang Mai and Sihanoukville, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.